Peter Orszag runs wild

The office of OMB has just become the office of OMG.

Peter Orszag, the director of the Office of Management and Budget -- the man charged with the unenviable, arguably impossible job of making President Obama's budget numbers line up -- has a personal life with its own set of management challenges that would drive most people to bankruptcy, and perhaps even to insanity.

He's divorced with two young kids. He and his ex-wife share custody.

The 40-year-old Orszag had a "committed relationship" with a hottie heiress, Claire Milonas, 39, last year that proved not to be so committed after all -- he ran off with a different hottie, 31-year-old journalist Bianna Golodryga, who he met at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. They're getting married.

But wait! The jilted heiress turns out to have been carrying her own unfunded mandate. She delivered the baby girl in November. Following the disclosure of the "love child" by the New York Post, Orszag and Milonas on Wednesday issued a joint statement acknowledging the birth and asking, Tiger-like, for "privacy."

We certainly believe here in the A-blog that even public figures deserve a certain amount of privacy. But frankly I don't see how Orszag can balance three families AND the national budget.

You know how they say that when you go from two kids to three you switch from man-to-man defense to zone? That presumes two parents and three kids in one house. When it's three, four, five, however many kids spread across multiple locations and god knows how many schools -- with each child functioning as the locus of an elaborate set of needs, desires, options, friends, school plays, soccer games, etc. -- there is no form of defense yet devised that can handle that. You just have to go with some form of triage. You have to be willing to celebrate birthdays biannually, for example. You have to be willing to say things like: "Don't worry, sugar, Santa will surely come NEXT year."

The only thing more complicated than Orszag's domestic situation is the federal budget itself. You might say: Well then this is a man who can handle that crazy Norman Mailer lifestyle! If he can budget a $3.5 trillion government, he can hit two or three or four end-of-school picnics on the same Friday afternoon! What I'm saying is, there's a breaking point. There are event horizons. The guy is going to hit his own Chandrasekhar Limit. Something's going to give.

You know what's going to happen. They'll all be in the Cabinet Room. The president will see Orszag suddenly get a faraway look in his eyes, a look even more alarming than the permanent glaze that comes from getting up seven times in the night to deal with a baby whose wails could penetrate a bank vault.

Obama will say: "Peter, what's the matter?"

And Orszag will say: "I just realized ... I forgot to budget Medicare!!!"

Have you seen a presidential budget? The document runs a thousand, two thousand pages of tiny type. There are a bajillion government agencies and all they do is stamp their feet and scream "Money! Money!"

It is the job of the OMB director to say no. But it is hard to say no. Those of us who are parents know that, in this day and age, the indulged youth of America find an encounter with the word "no" to be an existential crisis. So, too, with the nation's fiscal situation, the calamitous situation of which can be summarized as nothing more or less than the government being unable to say that two-letter word.

Everyone gets a trophy!

(But of course we do wish Mr. Orszag and his various families the best.) (Hey, he's a marathoner, maybe he can handle it.) (Though I need a nap just thinking about all this.)

*nightmare visions of MrJS' beloved Wolverines giving up beaucoup touchdowns using said strategy, and MrJS weepy and forlorn for days afterward*

Given the nature of high-level gummint positions, I suspect the only committed relationship Mr. O has is to his job. I wish the women and children in his life well and hope they can all function in a relatively independent manner.

With regard to the Federal Budget. There's a couple moving parts here. First of all, there is a sense that when faced with such immense numbers, a certain casualness creeps into the process. The price of a modest split-level starts to become noise.

Then there is the notion that while everyone agrees in *principle* with budget cuts, what they really mean is budget cuts for somebody else. You know somebody who is doing things that aren't nearly as important.

But the *biggest* problem, I assert, is that spending money is viewed as the figure of merit for much of what the government does. It is very, very hard, sometimes, so quantify government services. And so, by default, money spend on a problem is presented as evidence of progress.

In other words, while people in industry get promoted for making money, people in government get promoted for spending money. Because that means they are working hard to solve problems.

It was hard to understand this kit, and to know that this is someone's life, I'm not touching it. My eyes walled over after reading halfway through it, although I'm sure it makes for interesting conversation. Too, too, much, and I lack the energy to untangle it.

Has anyone read Sharpton's editorial this morning? I didn't get a chance to go over it, maybe later. Guns, as if we need more. Even with sports figures the mentality is still there, no matter how far they go. The young boys I work with are already arrogant and hard-headed, and they don't believe anything until it bites, and then the answer is always a gun, although we're burying more and more. And the adults are just as bad. I guess you can see this is not a favorite subject of mine. Bullets have no names, they're equal opportunity employers.

And I may be stretching the point here, but why are corporations using the President and First Lady as models for their posters and advertising, is this the new form of racisim? I can't remember anyone doing that to other Presidents and First Ladies?

Alabama has never ever beaten Texas in football. They are 0-7-1 all time.

The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns have not met since Jan. 1, 1982, when Texas won 14-12 in the Cotton Bowl. Five of their eight meetings have come in bowls. Texas won 27-7 in the Sugar Bowl at the end of the 1947 season, 21-17 in the Orange Bowl at the end of the 1964 season and 17-13 in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 1972 season. The Tide and Longhorns fought to a 3-3 tie in the 1960 Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston.
The regular-season meetings came in 1902, 1915 and 1922, with Texas winning 10-0, 20-0 and 19-10.

Despite that history, oddsmakers favor Alabama by 4. I predict 27-13 Bama. Texas is not that good this year. I suspect some of those players have been sneaking off and going to class when they should have been down at the stadium practicing. That would never have happened when I was at UT, but the young people today just got no proper sense of priorities!

I am pleased to report that our dreaded "wintry mix" has switched over to snow. As long as it stays that way and doesn't switch back to the nasty ice, we're good. I was tempted last night to ridicule the locals for being weather wimps, as the schools were canceled based on the prediction of winter precipitation before anything had fallen. But I suppose when they say 100% chance, and it starts late morning -- in time for everyone to already be out and have to figure out how to get home again -- it might make sense to be preemptive. I'm sure the town doesn't have the equipment to keep up with the roads, and given the infrequency of such storms, it's not really worth the investment. So I'm home today. If we get enough snow, I'll take some pictures.

Orszag's baby-mama is Claire Milonas, a Greek shipping heiress (who knew they still made those?), so the new hook-up is for love (or something like that) since even ABC correspondents don't make venture capitalist bucks. My guess is that a civil servant like Peter isn't chipping in a lot of child support.

I bet Mr. Orszag isn't upping the budgets for abstinence-based sex-education any either.

More of a social question. Why is "Ugly In" in DC. I see so many mismatched couples in DC like this, with an unattractive guy and attractive women. I think women are too insecure to date someone at their level of attractiveness and think dating a tool makes them somehow more intellectual and less superficial. Just a thought.

If Obama had just followed his original instincts and appointed a pedophile, NAMBLA official, homosexual or trans-gender person as he has done so often elsewhere, we wouldn't be having this problem now!!!

10:02:
Who knew tall geeky wonks with bad haircuts were such studmuffins? Just what is his shoe size anyways?

Ummm...Stands 6'2" and appears taller than that when he wears his favored cowboy boots. 12s? 13s? Loves his boot-scooters enough to don them for his photo with photog Annie Leibowitz for a Vanity Fair spread last March. A Western macho wannabe? Does he also cut brush like two former White House honchos who wore cowboy boots? Did he pick up the boot attire at Princeton or the London School of Economics? Orzag, White House zig-zagging womanizer.

Should Bianna give him the boot and return the ring she flashed on GMA? Leave herself sock-footed and single?

It looks like the Boodle will have a special day, with people taking either moral or partisan political umbrage of one sort of another. Fun!

Cassandra, so glad to hear from you and know you are OK.

Mr. Orszag should come to my town if he needs cooling off. -31C, -24F. this morning; too cold for comfort but I've got too much to do to huddle at home. And so I wish you all a fine Thursday (which means tomorrow is Friday!).

I have no interest in the subject of the kit -- was avoiding other articles on the topic -- though I acknowledge that it's cleverly written, as befits JA. I'm a bit confused by some of the comments. What does any of this have to do with party affiliation? Yeah, yeah, I know, Republicans have traditional family values and Democrats are free love hippies, but come on, let's pay a little attention to real life and recognize that sexual (ir)responsibility doesn't fall along party lines.

Although I think the use of the images of the President and FLOTUS in ads is inappropriate, I see nothing racist there. These folks are trying to get some of the attention and glamor that attaches to the Obamas to rub off on their products. It's a kind of strange compliment in a way, a rather crass, opportunistic, parasitic way.

I just have two offspring, but was raised in a family of 4 children. The secret of parenting when you are outnumbered appears to be strategic alliances. You know, the old divide and conquer. But, of course, in a loving way.

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14 2009 (HealthDay News) --Peter Orszag, the 40-year-old head of the White House Office of Management and Budget, is reported to drink so much tea, hot and iced, that he took a genetic test to see if his body could metabolize his voluminous intake of caffeine.

According to the results, his body is perfectly suited to the task, and Orszag can easily go about his busy day, according to published reports.

*important to replace depleted body fuids*
*w* Oh, biology!

Orszag's former stepfather-in-law certainly has links to the science community. Orszag's first wife's biological father lives in Portola Valley. Kennedy served as president of Stanford during the time I worked in downtown Palo Alto.

Do have the self-righteous defenders of Christian values in the Republican Party started denouncing the moral decline of the country under Democrats? (Republicans like Gingrich, Ensign Vitter, Sanford, Giuliani ad nauseum, of course, do the same things or worse, but they know that Americans rapidly forget, and Republicans know that if you tell a lie, make it a whopper and repeat it often, most people will believe the lie to be the truth)

Thanks, Joel, for pointing out in a funny way that men who spread "baby mamas" near and far have a very hard time being a good and involved father to any of their children. As usual in these situations, the adults may be happy but the children suffer.

Very nice piece, Mr. Achenbach, especially the bit about switching from man-to-man to zone. The right wing tools posting here don't miss a beat though, do they? Come on guys: this is a funny story. Who would have ever guessed the Orczag was THIS kind of babe magnet?!!! I mean, he's a freaking accountant!

Orszag and Milonas on Wednesday issued a joint statement acknowledging the birth and asking, Tiger-like, for "privacy."
-------------------------
So is every guy going to use Tiger Woods wrong doing when the S*^T hits the fan?

If you read the joint statement, nowhere does it say that Orszag is the father. It just says they were in a relationship and later Claire gave birth. Maybe he agreed to take the hit to protect her reputation from something more embarrassing.

And already the week-old Orszag offsping was in a Stanford tax policy seminar?

Joel has a point...interesting graf from Cameron Orszag's article:

"And then there was the week I had to hand in a 50-page paper, negotiate a contract for a house on the East Coast and plan Leila's first birthday party, for 40 people. All that might have been manageable, except that my husband was away on business for the fourth week in a row, my postgraduation job negotiations took a turn for the worse, my child care provider needed an unexpected day off, my study plans for the bar exam collapsed, and Leila decided that 4 a.m. was a perfectly reasonable time to wake up every day."

This is a bit different than the Trump example because this guy's on the public dole and is responsible for planning, managing and spending trillions of taxpayer dollars. That gives folks the right to wonder if he's able to devote the appropriate amount of time and energy to that quite time-consuming effort, as well as being a father to (now) 3 kids and dealing with various ex-wives, rich ex-girlfriends and celebrity gal pals. Plus there's the judgment thing, you know.

The guy needs to dump the worst toupe on the east coast. And his fiance can have any guy she wants she is smoking but money and power is enough for the short time the big payoff comes after the divorce.

Relax. Dionne's and Balz's columns about "panic in Dem ranks" over retirements are far, far lamer. Personally, I appreciated this bit of fluff (not that Mr. Orszag feels that way, I'd guess): very eye opening to learn that a man who looks like a machine when testifying before Congress is really quite a man after all!

Oh goodness, sweetie Jaysus spare us this: loss of Yiddish at UMCP. Mudge -- cannot say that I am surprised. Classics is on the chopping block as a major and department; so too GERMAN. To those who might misinterpret the opening -- I mean it lovingly and ironically.

If this red-haired freckle-dotted, Celtic tiger of an adjunct could do anything in the service of saving the language of Nobel-winner Isaak B. Singer, I would....but I matter so little in the scheme of the outsourced, corporate, career-obsessed, funding-stressed model of Higher Ed these days.......

There's a cover photo of the former governor of NYS with the tip of an arrow pointing to just below his belt buckle labled, "BRAIN." Same applies here.

Frankly, in my humble so and so I believe he made a huge mistake leaving Ms. Milonas. Why? She gives every (and this is only an observation and no more) impression of being a warmer, sincere and in touch with herself person. Go figure...he fell for 'Barbie."

In the long run, again...only an opinion...his "new"wife is going to cost him a bundle in cash...after this business costs him a bundle and a half in aggravation.

There's a cover photo of the former governor of NYS with the tip of an arrow pointing to just below his belt buckle labled, "BRAIN." Same applies here.

Frankly, in my humble so and so I believe he made a huge mistake leaving Ms. Milonas. Why? She gives every (and this is only an observation and no more) impression of being a warmer, sincere and in touch with herself person. Go figure...he fell for 'Barbie."

In the long run, again...only an opinion...his "new"wife is going to cost him a bundle in cash...after this business costs him a bundle and a half in aggravation.

I agree with the post at 11:14 a.m. -- it is hard to believe that anything about this is news or even blog-worthy. It would be one thing if he was the first person in a high-profile (or kind of high-profile job) to ever do something like this (which, btw, is not illegal; i didn't say it wasn't impossible), but he isn't the first and he won't be the last.

Bianna has no idea what she's getting into.I was married to a woman who had two children and believe me it's no fun,no matter how hard you try you will never be the dad and the person man or woman that have he children are always in the middle so noone get's the attention they think they deserve.Bianna as pretty as she is can surely find someone better. For her sake I hope so . Been there done that.

ps...this guy must think he's Anthony Quinn. However, he's not.
He's an accountant on steoroids with an ill fitting toupee and no excuse. Quinn,on the other hand, was an artist...a man of passion.

Somewhere the numbers don't crunch. And it really wrong to do this to an infant...to a child. Later on, when Mom explains matters, there's gonna be some emotional damage. The kind of stuff you can't quantify. This stuff is none of my business...but it does irk me because a child is involved. Speaks of -0- character. The old fashioned kind.

"it is hard to believe that anything about this is news or even blog-worthy."

Are you serious? This is the absolute essence of news and blog-worthiness, especially in DC. High government official with two kids and an ex-wife fathers love child, leaves that mother to become engaged to a news person, all while controlling a 3-plus trillion dollar Federal budget.

I think it's funny that many of these comments reflect the notion that since he's not attractive (to them) the only other answer to THEIR question ("how does he get any?") is that he must be well endowed. How goofy is that? So guys, you're convinced that you have to be tall, handsome OR well hung to get the girls. Congratulations - you are as pathetic as the women that think they must be stacked and stupid to get the guys. And the heiress? She apparently wants a baby, and doesn't need the daddy in the picture. Good for her, if that works for her.

Achenbach, you are wasted at the WashPost! Your melodramatic writing style is much better suited to Hello! or Star Magazine.

It's pretty embarrassing that they kept you on staff while closing foreign bureaus and laying off real reporters. Geez, why keep Tom Ricks when you can have Pulitzer material like this at the venerable Post!?

This is the Post of Brauchli and Weymouth, a frigging embarrassment, not of Bradlee and Graham. That Post died long ago.

Orszag is just being practical. He for one knows his budget will result in higher taxes for everyone! He is just doing his own tax planning by creating "deductions". Bianna will be giving birth before the year is out....guaranteed!

Thank you, pupster, for your earnest and most enthusiastically expressed opinion of Mr. Achenbach. Truly, it is rare and special moment when thoughts are expressed with such clarity, such intensity, and such obvious intellectual rigor. Truly we are blessed. As a man of great poise and culture, he will doubtless take these words to heart. I, on the other hand, think you something of a schmuck.

HYSTERICALLY FUNNY, A-BLOG! Really! But the subject matter is serious as hell, isn't it? I mean, the head of OMB, having this kind of rather sleazy personal life, shows a real lack of judgment-and so the question remains for high public officials like Orzag, WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR PRIVATE LIFE ABSOLUTELY IMPACTS YOUR PUBLIC LIFE-AND WHEN YOU HAVE 3 FAMILIES, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE HOW YOU CAN DEVOTE THE TIME AND ATTENTION, AND SHOW GOOD JUDGMENT ON THE JOB WHEN YOUR JUDGMENT OFF THE JOB IS SO LACKING!

I think the most amazing thing about this entire sad event is that the American people actually believe (as does the President) that this guy has the maturity and judgement to manage signficant elements of our Nation's government. Just think this guy hasn't a clue, I really wonder if he and his future bride will keep their planned date. I think if I were Ms. Golodryga I might wonder how they are going to afford to live on his salary split between the child support and other costs plus having the other mothers around and losing him to weekends with the kids. I think if I were the President I would find someone else to be my budget man. Of course Obama, thought certainly an intelligent man, has not shown much common sense when it comes to just about anything.

(WASHYORK) Demographic geneticists expressed disbelief at a variant genetic pattern from the ancient capitol Washington DC, United States of America.

"We had to throw out an entire theory because for our results to be accurate One man in ancient DC would have had an incredible number of offspring.We know this was not possible due to the high financial and social cost of mutiple children in ancient DC."

Well,Obama's white house looks more and more like the national enquirer.e's filled key spots with a bunch of wall street lobbyists, flunkies, and with Orszag, philanderers. Hard to have confidence in this group. He should clean house - Summers, Geithner, the social secretary, whatever her name his, Orszag, all should go now if he has any hope or expectation or restoring public confidence in his administration.

ProCounsel is onto something. Washington would seem to be sort of a demographic vortex where hardly anyone has time or money for children. A bit like 18th century London, where everyone died prematurely. Especially babies.

The guy only has 3 kids for Pete's sake, and 2 mommies to help out. The family situation is not a cake walk, but what's the big deal? I can do 3 kids blindfolded, one hand tied behind my back on a bum knee.

Ok, the 1 hand tied behind my back is a bit of a stretch, but I don't see that kids/divorces have to be any more of a distraction from a work life any more than an ailing mother/grandparent or hobbies.

Your recent article on exoplanets was outstanding; this one, by contrast, is rubbish.

There is hypocisy when a Jimmy Swaggert or Jim Baker claims a religious moral superiority in a pastoral position, then seduces interns or solicits hookers. This man fills no such moral post. His task involves numbers.

Hollywood is full of people, e.g. Tom Cruise, who change mates and support children from numerous previous monogamous relationships. That has nothing to do with their ability to continue making great performances in their acting careers. The prior post regarding Donald Trump's numerous relationships and his empire is apt.

There is no sense of betrayal or acrimony on the part of any of this man's prior mates. Your premise that the number of children or prior mates one has had limits his ability to perform his professional job is a non sequitur.

You are an excellent writer, Joel, but were off your game today. This was absurd.

Someone with these kind of morals is in charge of the budget?? Makes you wonder. I guess ethics are out the window also. He should be ashamed of himself. Ain't saying much for the women he's with either.

Is this another one of Obama's "baby daddies?" Even though Orszag is in charge of "Management" it sounds like he can't manage his own "affairs." So, he picked up his latest conquest at the White House? No wonder everyone wants to crash those dinners!!

Funny article. I tried to pronounce Bianna Golodryga's last name, and laughed when it came out as "gold-digger".

Perhaps this is Orzag is using an ancient technique to reduce the cost of governemnt; if you find yourself in need of a lot of labor for the family biz, just have lots and lots of children to plow the fields or run the bureaucracy for free.

The blindfold was a nice touch WhackyWeasel. Same here; 3 kids only? What's the problem? Where's the need for the chastity belt, the vasectomy or worse?

As far as we know he got married and had two kids.
Then, a few years later, he had a good year. One hot job, one hottie Greek Shipping Tycoon (much better looking than Aristotle Onassis I might add, the big glasses are a non-starter with me) and one hottie ABC reporter (who doesn't look pregnant, yet).
Young Milhouse is not exactly into Mel Gibson territory here.

Compared to the "bimbo eruptions" that Michelle Rhee has to take time off her DC Education Czar to fix for her fiance Kevin Johnson, I guess this is a "step up." Orzag was ineffective anyway - perhaps her can concentrate on the two women and a baby and leave us ALONE! That is the "hope and change" I am talking about!

On second thought, it really makes you ask some questions about what women really want.
They claim they want commitment and someone they can trust. This guy is divorced with kids, and has abandoned a woman he impregnated. Yet they continue to line up to marry him, while faithful honest guys are being dumped by their wives daily.

I'm just having a great time on the Umbrage To Offense Meter here. Guy has had one wife, two girlfriends, and three children (two legit and one 'natural'). In some circles, like say 1940s Hollywood, that wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

Meanwhile some other guy I've heard of with one wife and two kids gets us into two wars (one legit and one of convenience) and drives the entire world economy into the ditch. Who's the bigger menace 2 society here?

I'm just following the story out of schadenfreude and a little quiet admiration.

cabinet members, nba players,golf playing skank loving nerds, have the same thing in common,never knowing exactly how to play the game of real adult life.
get your baby mama drama together or you might find yourself being catapulted out of the back of a truck.
men think before you unzip, the off springs are the ones who will have the most long term consequences.

Good heavens. I dropped in during a busy day and I confess I'm a little shocked at the tone the Boodle has assumed, with all our new playmates. Joel took a story in dubious taste and turned it into a funny Kit, but - oh my goodness. Partisanship, harsh moral judgment, and crude prurience. It's a little more over-the-top than I might have thought the topic deserved.

Also I thought the juxtaposition of a family gone wild and managing the budget was brilliant and gleefully absurd. That so many people found offense in it worries me. Perhaps this decade will be called the Surly Teens.

Enough of this stuff. Consider the movies on this page: http://epoxi.umd.edu/7press/news/20100105.shtml

Imagine humming Julie Gold's song "From a Distance" while watching it (choose your favorite rendition: Bette Midler, Kathy Mattea, Julie Gold's own performance, or any of a zillion others that I found while searching YouTube).

just turned on the national championship and so far Texas has opened up quickly.I am rooting for the Longhorns tonight.I just enjoyed the 2005 championship when Vince Young played the game of his life in the biggest game.To be able to beat the undefeated and Pro style USC who had won 35 games in a row was just so great.But what a great game that was.

The SEC is the powerhouse conference and i seriously thought that Texas should have played in the championship last year.

First A-blog I've read in, oh, probably 2 years, and it's a doozy (doozie?) Good to see that the troll business is still alive and well...flourishing even. Anyway, good story, made me laugh, as did a lot of the comments. RD: I like the "Surly Teens." has a bit of a ring to it.

The Texas offensive coordinator is the one who is having a bad game. Wasn't the injury to McCoy on an option play? Seems like a good way to accomplish precisely what happened -- expose your QB to injury early in the game when that monster defense is fresh. And then that shovel pass...

Yep, here's the rookie QB back out on the field. Stick a fork in 'em.

Fortunately I have sworn off being a real football fan, y'know, one who cares.

Is there a name for this semi-redundant use of an abbreviation? "ATM machine" comes to mind. I guess it's a form of pleonasm. (I understand that Joel's use of it is deliberate, and humorous, blablabla.)

I guess we're back. Whew. I got home from my event about 8 pm and Ivansdad called; his car died. I think the cold killed it. They couldn't jump it with the puny cars at the fencing salle. I went to the rescue, sort of. The very kind coaches kept the salle open and waited with us until the tow truck came, just after 10 pm. I went down the block and got us all takeout Chinese. The tow guy and Ivansdad successfully started his car with a jump (big engine in that flatbed truck). By that time the windchill was well below zero. Turned out the car dealership has no overnight drop-off, so we followed him home. We're sure we won't be able to start it in the morning. But, as Scarlett says, tomorrow is another day.

I confess to puzzlement. A man is married, has some children and then gets divorced. Then starts a new relationship with another woman. Later they break up and he starts dating another woman who he then decides to ask to marry him. Unfortunately, the second woman turns out to be expecting. At no time does it appear he has failed in his responsibilities to his children or caused either his fiance or ex-girlfriend to be upset.

And yet, somehow this has completely destroyed his ability to his job? Is a person who gets divorced required to remain celibate for the rest of their lives?

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

Morning,friends. I woke up looking for snow, but there is none. I know the kids are going to be disappointed big time. I'm not really a fan of snow other than looking at it in pictures, but it would have been nice for the kids to play in since they seldom get to do that. Oh well, who knows, we may still get some, not much, I hope.

I think President Obama has put on a new coat of armour. His is not a job I envy. I'm still praying.

Is everyone out the bunker yet? Come out guys. I think it's pretty safe now, but don't hold me to that.

The sky is gray and all that beautiful sunshine is hiding somewhere. I would go look for it, but it is so cold. Perhaps it will return soon. I can hardly wait.

Mudge,Yoki, Martooni, Scotty, Lindaloo, and all the gang, have a great day despite the cold.

Slyness, yall got any of the white stuff up your way? If so, and you're out in it, be careful, and don't feel bad if you want to keep it all for yourself.

Well, my brother-in-law, the die-hard 'bama fan will be *most* gratified by last night's football contest. Alas, living as he does in the Pacific Northwest, I know that he won't be able to find too many others to go hollerin' with.

'Morning, Boodle. Got about an inch or inch and a half of snow here in southern Merlin, just enough to close the schools (I can hear you northern tier staters plus all of Canada smirking). However, this inch of snow on the ground this morning was much more beautiful than the entire 16 to 20 inches we had the other week. This morning between 7:30 and 8 on my way to work the sun was out and bright, yet low on the horizon, creating that special quality of light you sometimes see, making everything sparkle just so, very Currier and Ives. There's a botyard right at the foot of the Harry Nice Bridge that I pass every day, and it looked especially neat and New Englandy covered in a nice clean crisp sheet of low-angle sunlight. I damn near stopped the car to take a photo, except (a) I was on a bridge and (b) I only had my Blackberry, whose camera-like abilities leave much to be desired. I wish I could make telephone calls from my Nikon.

I did not watch the Texas-'bama game, as it involved two of my least favorite states. It's kinda of like watching the Hitler-Stalin game, or the Palin-Coulter/Malkin-Princess SparklePony tag-team wrestling match. I want everyone to lose, badly and painfully. I want injuries and humiliation. (I confess: I was not a good "winner" at the end of the Civil War, and still hold a grudge against the Confederacy. But then, I was there and you weren't, so perhaps that explains it. States rights my ass.)

Some evil *&^%$#*&^ brought in three dozen assorted Krispy Kremes. They told me they'd kill all my grandchildren if I didn't eat one. So, in order to spare their lives, I did. A frosted with strawberry icing.

But they couldn't make me like it. Oh, no! I swallowed it, but it was awful.

Our little wintry event was a bit of an anticlimax. There seems to be the occasional icy patch on the roads; probably not enough to justify closing everything down yesterday, but if it kept one or two people from sliding into ditches, I guess that's good. Winter's strongest impact on my life so far has been through the cat. We don't trust our naive southern pipes to know what to do with cold temperatures, so we do lots of dripping of faucets. The cat is thrilled to have this ready source of fresh water, because clearly her water bowl is just not good enough. Whenever the faucets are off, she leaps to the bathroom counters and demands loudly and in vain that they be turned on for her. I wonder how far into the spring she'll keep trying.

Mudge, would you consider having to eat that Krispy Kreme to be torture? If so, you should report it to several government departments requiring multiple forms and much data collecting that will probably not reduce the chance of a recurrence by a gnat's rear end.

Scotty: Ooohh, not good about the dryer. Can't hang the clothes out on the line in this weather.

Mr. Orszag pulled a Tom Brady! It's refreshing to see how everybody in this situation (except for the baby, of course) is acting like a grownup now. I can imagine how tempting it'd be for the new mother to go around dragging the others' names through the mud.

Comparing how someone handles his personal affairs with how he manages his job duties is like comparing apples and oranges, Mr. Achenbach.

I donm't see how this is such a problem. In this day and age, children have no need for a stable family in the secure love of their natural mother and father.

No, they don't! They're infinitely forgiving! And infinitely adaptable! They will bend their lives, pretzel-fashion, around two unmarried parents, one parent and one live-in, two dads, two moms, 1/2 mom and a nanny --- whatever! Because they're children! And children have no natural needs or rights that can stand in the way of..